a. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system for monitoring or controlling a programmable device. In particular, this invention relates to a system for monitoring or controlling a remotely located programmable device from a local computing device over a network.
b. Background Art
Many integrated circuits used to perform multiple functions include one or more pins or terminals that function as general purpose input/output pins. A user can control the behavior of these pins including whether the pins function as an input or an output. As a result, a single integrated circuit such as a microprocessor can be integrated into larger systems and used in a wide variety of applications. General purpose input/output pins may be used by a programmer, for example, to obtain specific inputs for a program installed on a microprocessor or to allow the program to control another device.
Controlling, and modifying, the behavior of general purposes input/output pins on an integrated circuit requires a user to access and modify programs that control the operation of the pins. This has typically required users to have direct access to a device containing the integrated circuit. This type of access, however, is frequently not available or inconvenient.
The inventors herein have recognized a need for a system for monitoring or controlling a remote programmable device that will overcome one or more of the above-identified deficiencies.